The coffee business is a grind. But it’s also been sweet success for Stefan Hawkins’ Harrisburg business, Good Brotha’s Book Café, ever since he opened Harrisburg’s first Black-owned coffeeshop and bookstore on MLK Day, January 18, 2021.
“There’s still a newness to it—I mean, I was working as a truck driver [delivering Pepsi] two years ago. So it feels great, but at the same time, I’m trying to stay humble. There have been a lot of ups and downs, and hard days—people don’t see the grind,” says Hawkins, 32, a Harrisburg native.
He’s been in the news—a lot. Good Brotha’s has been embraced as a Black-owned business, and the shop’s Fifth Acres Coffee is available at select GIANT and Karns grocery stores.
“To become a media darling overnight, the go-to story for up-and-coming entrepreneurs—it’s a surreal feeling,” Hawkins says. “A lot of businesses are also doing a lot of good in the community, but coming off George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and uplifting Black businesses, I just happened to be an up-and-coming Black entrepreneur.”
Despite the flurry of media coverage over the past 18 months, it turns out there’s still a lot that the average Joe doesn’t know about Hawkins and his cups of Joe.
For one thing, he credits the popularity of Good Brotha’s cold brew to their unique process. Most people don’t know it starts with an Ethiopian blend that steeps for 48 hours, compared to the 24-hour process at most coffee shops. The end result is a “rich, dark” cold brew that’s “one of the best in the area,” Hawkins says.
Good Brotha’s barista Mohammad Bond has been behind the counter since day one. And the relationship between Bond and Hawkins demonstrates the meaning behind the coffeeshop’s name.
“Mo is a great kid—he’s only 18, and he’s been with me since he was 16. I love him like he’s my son, like a mentor,” Hawkins says. “I think a lot of younger Black men or boys need a close role model.”
We tried Bond’s signature drink, the Big Mo.
“It’s a chocolate chip cookie dough frappe with caramel. I’m a big caramel freak, so almost all my drinks have caramel,” Bond explains, adding, “I love my job—I couldn’t ask to be anywhere else.”
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Karlo Gesner
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Karlo Gesner
Brewed coffee and bags of beans, under the shop’s Fifth Acres brand, is crafted in Harrisburg thanks to a silent roasting partner. Brotha’s Blend features notes of chocolate, caramel, and toasted nuts.
“I’m not trying to compete with Starbuck’s, Dunkin’ or even local coffee shops,” Hawkins says. “I’m friends with Elementary Coffee and Little Amps. We’re all in our own lanes trying to build our own brands.”
The shop is sandwiched between Harrisburg landmarks the Broad Street Market, Susquehanna Art Museum, and Midtown Cinema, along a Third Street corridor peppered with small businesses, restaurants, and shops.
Good Brotha’s offers a small but tasty breakfast menu featuring sandwiches and waffles. Along the left-hand side of the shop, there’s plenty of food for thought—bookshelves highlighting African American literature.
“The books bring the understanding that there’s more to the African American community than what you may perceive. They’re facets of our culture, and I’m trying to bring them to the forefront,” says Hawkins, who was inspired to open the shop after founding a book club for area friends, Black men known as the Good Brotha’s Book Club.
Classic and contemporary titles mingle on the shelves, from Barack and Michelle Obama’s books, to Kamala Harris’ “The Truths We Hold,” plus local Black authors’ works such as Kevin Maxson’s “A Poet’s Cry.” Children’s books include inspirational titles like “Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race.”
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Karlo Gesner
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Karlo Gesner
Speaking of kids, here’s another side of Hawkins that people might not realize: He draws upon his high school wrestling experience to give back as the Harrisburg Junior High wrestling coach.
And he has plenty of first-hand experience with young boys, as the father of five sons. You might call them his very own “good brotha’s.”
“The name Good Brotha’s is now synonymous with a Black man trying to uplift his community and be an upstanding citizen, combating false narratives, and showing that there are good men coming from Black communities and cities,” says Hawkins, who enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve straight out of high school—another fact many people might not know.
It seems like many people relate to Hawkins’ personal story.
“I barely graduated high school—and I graduated with two kids. I have no formal background in business, so some people might recognize the underdog journey in me,” says Hawkins. “Because this business is me, trying. If you really put in the work, you can fully accomplish what you set out to do.”
Good Brotha’s Book Café
1419 N 3rd St, Harrisburg | goodbrothascafe.com
